Jax Beach lifeguards issue red flag warning Memorial Day

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Beach lifeguards are keeping busy on Memorial Day as hundreds hit the beach for a day in the sun.

Lifeguards have issued a red flag warning, saying people should stay out of the water, and, if they must go in, to at least not go any deeper than their knees.

Young beachgoers Madeline, Zachary and Morgan Pearce along with Cady Lambers and Adrian Rondon love the water.

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That’s why lifeguards are on high alert — rough waves from gusty winds bring a higher risk for rip currents, according to Ocean Rescue Officer Max Ervanian.

Ervanian says if you get caught in a current, stay calm and swim diagonally back to shore.

The Pearce siblings along with Lambers and Rondon say they take water safety very seriously.

”You don’t go down too deep because then the rip current will probably snatch you, you’ll get drowned, dragged away, and probably drown,” Madeline said.

All five added, “swim to the side” when asked what to do if they were caught in a rip current.

Ervanian said lifeguards responded to 29 calls for service Sunday along with four rescues. He added that 42 lifeguards were working Monday.

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